Plush palaces. Royal balls. Luxury living. Ahh, the perks of being a Royal Nanny. We can all envision the regal perks and pleasures that go along with helping Kate and Will raise Prince George. But as a Norland-trained nanny, I can also tell you the nitty gritty of this top job.
Here is my thinking on the pros and cons of being the Royal Nanny, you know, just in case one of us were to be asked!
The Perks:
- It’s the ultimate nanny job in the Nanny world. You’ve “made it” if you work for a royal family.
- Influencing the formative life of a future Monarch. Every time you saw an image of the current Heir Apparent you’d know that you had contributed to make them the person that they are.
- Helping William and Kate evolve into becoming confident parents while the three of them settle as a family.
- Bringing a sense of ‘the regular and ordinary’ to the young Prince’s life, encouraging balance in his life whilst appreciating the legacy that he has been born into
- Working with families with very young babies is a joy, joining them at the start of their life as parents.
- Glimpsing into a world that very few experience. Who knows who would be at the table for breakfast?!
The Pain Points:
- Commiting for at least 5 years. Professionals should make long term commitments to their nanny roles to ensure consistency for the whole family and to give themselves time to settle in.
- Adhering to confidentiality is expected towards all families, but not even a peep of your day could be shared with friend!
- The life of a Royal Nanny can be isolated. No asking other Nannies to pop over for a coffee anytime or to spontaneously return a playdate!
- Joining the Royal household can mean a loss of your own freedoms and privacy. Your own private and personal life is up for grabs in terms of intense press interest.
- Where would you go next? Whilst the world may well be your oyster in terms of choice having worked as a Royal Nanny, how would you ever follow it?
Of course, many of these pain points might be worth the love and respect the royals would give to their nanny. What are your thoughts: Would you want to be a Royal Nanny?
